Okka Wikka Curriculum Structure

 

Links to Ethnomathematics

Educational Outcomes

Patterns

Class structure and delivery

Trainee teachers

Fibers

Comments

 

Links to Ethnomathematics

http://www.ethnomath.org/about.asp

http://www.science.org.au/nova/073/073sit.htm

Google Ethnomathematics

 

 

Educational Outcomes

• All craft taught reinforces the primary Motor Nerve connections necessary to develop numeracy and literacy skills. Left right brain connection, hand eye coordination.
• Many of the patterns contain the archetypal /primary building patterns cornerstones for all form .
• Geometry and  Maths are conveyed through hands on  experience.  These patterns such as string making belong to the Collective Memory.
• Self esteem building underlies every lesson. What you make is what you take away. Every student has ownership thru making .

 

Class structure and delivery:

The day is run as a school or class Event Day.

Primary lessons in fine motor coordination are passed on with in a 10 - 30 minute class.

Children access that memory quickly and retentativly

We encourage participation in our program by any school community parents or friends.

 

We encourage Peer Teaching models:

• We take a group of 20 older students and teach them to be the peer tutors

• In 30-40 minutes the peer tutors learn the 3 patterns at the start of the day

• These patterns are then taught to the other school classes during the day

• with 2 peer tutors to a group of 10 students

In a school day timetable / 

3 teaching sessions

String bangle and necklace

Coconut leaf woven Fish

 

Headband

2 more leaf patterns

 

Kite making and flying.

 

Cottage Industry Enrichment Program:

• make shop presentation signs  

• Any pattern from a bangle to hats and bags for Ladies and Gentleman.

• These lessons are the heart of .a simple material production of a saleable product.

• This is then packaged for the students to present at markets, fetes etc.

We are at present placing our pattern curriculum online as downloadable A4 printouts available from our website.

 

Patterns  

String: Fibers are prepared lying in a parallel bundle and twisted until when released it blips towards a solid bundle creating 2 threads running in the same direction.

 With this bundle held in one hand the 2 threads are worked by the other hand where each fiber is twisted away then pulled forward locking the thread into a double helix binding.

This double helix is the structure of our DNA threads.

 

             

 

 

Fish: This is a primary weaving lesson.  A coconut leaf is split off its rib. One side is wrapped about the hand WARP then the other side is woven in and out this set. WEFT.                         

 

Because there are hundreds of relevant patterns student skill is developed according to each lessons needs, time and interest.

We teach

20 boxes

15 headbands

40 animals

hats and bags

world' smallest Kits

Food packaging contains plutonic solid models such as cubes, iconodedral and pure mathematical equations.

80 more toys and decorations

String body decoration bangles and necklaces

 

Children 4-7 years old Pre School – Grade 3

1. Windmill     2.Bamboo leaf       

3.Butterfly    4.Snake   

5.Johnathan Fish                              

Simple cutting and folding products introduce and engage the student.                                         

 

 

Children  Grade 3 - up

1. Quack Quack Bird      2. Marlin      3.Bird of Paradise   4. Star   5.Frog        6. Yabbie

 6. Grasshopper     7.Cockatoo    8. Pine tree   

Headbands:      1. Round 2. Lightning rod          3.Guam   

  These patterns hold sophisticated mathematical and geometric language in simple 15 minute lessons 

Children Grade 6 - up

These 2 classes are exciting as they make practical products

 Simple Platter Bag   Disk Hat

             

 

 

                                                                       Kites:

1/3  2/3  asymmetrical cut paper , split sticks --Stanley knife split skewer or coconut leaf rib              

Great flying lesson.

Any numbers of students can engage this 20 minute kite building lesson,

 

 

             PEER Teaching                               

Teacher Training: Our program has 25 years committed teaching teachers

 Indigenous Pacific Basin Cultural background are the target Teacher Trainee models.

 The curriculum is designed to be relevant to all teacher trainee programs.

 Techniques are learnt in 5 minutes but the class teaching practice needs individual development. We have experienced many teacher trainee pick up our style and are competent in a days session.

As community artists we have often adopted our program to visual arts performance for the local event.

E.g. Coconut leaves wrap all the trees and power poles with braided leaf. Balinese’s style event decorations. Entrance Gates thatched with woven palm leaves.         

 

                   

 

Fibers:

All products can be made in school with fibers accessible to any coastal tropical township.    All fibers are in the students landscape and thus feely accessible and renewable.  Free education resource for the gathering.

 

Fibers for string include native grasses, flax. coconut leaf,  pandanas, and  banana trunk fiber. Source: Preparation: Cut and prepare   tearing leaf off central branch.

 

Banana:

       

 

       

 

 

Bulrush:

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Larambra Grass:

     

   

   

 

 

 “Our Crafts are National Living Treasures”